Update Ouelessebougou

I'm trying to find out more about how things are going in Ouelessebougoo (way-less-eh-boo-goo), Mali. As far as I can tell, things are not in a state of crisis there. It's in the North, where the Christian cities and relics are located.

Yeah Samake's website is continuing to be updated. It looks as though the elections are on for April 2013.

Here is the blog of Yeah Samake's wife.

I'm hoping the French and Aftican troops are successful in getting al Quaeda out. Here is an update.

Mali

All I can do is pray. al Queda has been occupying Northern Mali since the coup there in March 2012. They were about to have a clean Presidential Election. Our good friend, Yeah Samake, was in the running. But everything was put to a stop and very strict Sharian law is being enforced. Things have gotten worse. Children have been bought/kidnapped and forced to join the terrorist army. Women are being gang raped, married, sold, bought. Those who rebel are murdered or amputated. My stomach is sick. My whole body hurts. The tears are real. How can this happen to those sweet amazing strong people? I know God loves the people of Mali. He is aware of each of them. I have faith that he will relieve their suffering

I pray for the French and African troops fighting against the Taliban.

I'm looking for news from Ouelessebougou and our friends there at the O/Utah Alliance, where Collin and I worked in 2009. They are further down south and west of Bamako and the Northern Christian cities, but I am very worried.

Read Collin's post here.